HBO's IT Prequel Series WELCOME TO DERRY Adds 10 To Cast
HBO has added ten new cast members to the It prequel series Welcome to Derry, inspired by the story by Stephen King. This is a show that I’ve been very excited about!
Bill Skarsgård is set to reprise his role of Pennywise the Clown, and he will be joined by Alexandra Fuchs (Hatfields & McCoys), Kimberly Guerrero (The English), Dorian Grey (Transplant, Star Trek: Discovery), Thomas Mitchell (Gangland Undercover, Spiral), BJ Harrison (Family Law, Maid), Peter Outerbridge (Batwoman, Saw VI), Shane Marriott (Fargo, Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent), Chad Rook (Joe Pickett, Billy the Kid), Joshua Odjick (Little Bird, Wildhood) and Morningstar Angeline (Echo, Westworld).
Previously announced cast members include Taylour Paige (Zola, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Jovan Adepo (Babylon, Watchmen), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason, All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt), James Remar (Oppenheimer, Megalopolis), Madeleine Stowe (12 Monkeys, The Last of the Mohicans, Revenge) and Stephen Rider (Daredevil).
The series is being developed by director Andy Muschietti (It films) and showrunners Jason Fuchs (It: Chapter II) and Brad Caleb Kane (Tokyo Vice), who will also executive produce the series.
The official logline for the series states, “Set in the world of Stephen King’s It universe, Welcome to Derry is based on King’s It novel and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films It and It Chapter Two.”
When previously talking about the mythology of the story, Muschietti said, “There is a whole mythology to the book though…Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. It [aka Pennywise] has been on Earth for millions of years.
“He’s been in contact with humans for hundreds of years, every 27 years. So you can imagine the amount of material. It’s always exciting to think of eventually exploring this mythology. It’s very exciting. But, for now, there’s nothing on the table.”
There are some very interesting prequel stories to tell with Pennywise because the shapeshifting creature has been in Derry, killing people for a very long time. “It arrived on Earth in a massive cataclysmic event similar to an asteroid impact, landing in a location in North America that would eventually become Derry, Maine.
“Once people settled over this location, It adopted its usual pattern of a 27-30 year hibernation, waking to kill and eat. Each awakening and return to hibernation is sometimes marked by a violent act, such as a mass murder or weather event. In the period between, a series of child murders occurring in Derry are never solved.
“It is outwardly explained that a series of murders, no matter how gruesome, don't get reported if they happen in the small town. However, the real reason is that the influence of It prevents anyone from investigating too deeply.”
While not confirmed, I think that the series will tell the story of The Black Spot, which was a major location in Derry that is talked about in the movies and Stephen King’s novel. The Black Spot was a nightclub started by Mike Hanlon's dad, Will, and some of his friends. It was a place for black soldiers from the nearby Army base to go.
The Black Spot was burned to the ground by the Maine Legion of White Decency. One of the people inside was a young Dick Hallorann from The Shining, who worked in the club's kitchen. Hallorann managed to get out alive and he eventually ended up working at The Overlook Hotel, where he ultimately met his demise.
The series will be coming in 2025.